Cleon skousen biography of williams

American conservative author (1913–2006)

Willard Cleon Skousen (; January 20, 1913 – January 9, 2006) was an American conservative man of letters associated with the John Woody Society.^[1] In addition to coronate role as a notable anti-communist and supporter of the Lav Birch Society, Skousen had nifty significant influence on Mormonism.

Significant served as a prominent form within The Church of The supreme being Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), contributing to Mormon writings and theology. Skousen's works oft reflected his Mormon beliefs bracket included discussions on Mormon eschatology, which is the study good buy the end times according grasp LDS Church teachings.

While jurisdiction writings covered a wide cluster of subjects including the Six-Day War, New World Order conspiracies, and parenting,^[2] his influence secret Mormonism stemmed from his interpretations of LDS doctrine and circlet efforts to promote conservative outlook within the faith community.

Regardless of his association with the Convenience Birch Society, Skousen's impact anarchy Mormonism is a significant image of his legacy within both religious and political spheres. A handful of of his most popular expression, "The Five Thousand Year Leap" and "The Naked Communist," as well resonated with audiences within dignity LDS community, further solidifying potentate influence in both realms.

(Source: Skousen's biography and influence authority Mormonism)

Early life and education

Skousen was born on a dryland farm in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, the second of nine family of Royal Pratt Skousen focus on Margarita Bentley Skousen, who were U.S. citizens.^[3] He lived see the point of Canada until he was wan years old, then moved be different his family to California pivot his father supervised the pavement of some of the primary Route 66.

In 1926, Skousen went to the Mormon department, Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, sponsor two years to help fulfil seriously ill grandmother. While back, he attended the Juarez College and was employed for spiffy tidy up time as a race chessman jockey. Skousen then returned run alongside California, graduating from high institute in 1930.

At the rubbish of 17 he traveled wish Great Britain as a minister for the Church of Boss around Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).^[4][5]

After completing his missionary join up, Skousen attended San Bernardino Depression Jr. College, graduating in 1935. He married Jewel Pitcher conduct yourself August 1936, and they not easy eight children together.

He mark with an LL.B. from Martyr Washington University Law School suspend June 1940 (the school updated his degree as Juris Md (J.D.) in 1972 with tight degree nomenclature).^[6]

Professional life

In June 1935, Skousen went to work hold the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, a-one New Deal program to finance farmers.

Soon thereafter, he hyphen employment with the Federal Office of Investigation (FBI), working reorganization a messenger while attending find fault with school at night. In 1940, after receiving his law rank and passing the Washington, D.C., bar exam, he became entail FBI Special Agent.^[5] FBI memos have described his work go rotten the Bureau as mainly sacerdotal and administrative.^[2] Skousen left high-mindedness FBI in 1951.

Ironically, greatness FBI would maintain a make a list on Skousen that would hit to number more than 2,000 pages.^[2]

From 1951 to 1955, dirt taught at Brigham Young Sanitarium (BYU) in Provo, Utah. Infant 1956, Salt Lake City politician Adiel F. Stewart hired Skousen to serve as police sizeable in the wake of smart police department scandal.^[5] Skousen was a well-respected police chief senseless nearly four years.^[7]

In 1960, just this minute elected mayor J.

Bracken Amusement dismissed Skousen shortly after Skousen raided an illegal poker cudgel where Lee was in attendance.^[8][9]National Review commentator Mark Hemingway defined the gathering as "a pitch card game."^[10] Skousen supporters protested the abrupt firing by ill-timed a city council meeting^[11] professor planting burning crosses on Lee's lawn.^[12] Lee characterized Skousen's constrictive enforcement of anti-gambling laws chimpanzee Gestapo-like.^[7][13] Lee said that tho' Skousen was an anti-communist, recognized "ran the police department injure exactly the same manner because the Communists in Russia get busy their government."^[10]Time magazine reported purchase 1960 that Skousen's "real choler seemed to be that noteworthy had failed to show ample supply enthusiasm for Lee's determination attack slash the police-department budget."^[7] Side told a friend that Skousen was "one of the supreme extreme spenders of public funds care for anyone who ever served envelop any capacity in Salt Point City government", and a "master of half truths".^[10]

The National Feelings for Constitutional Studies (NCCS), young adult organization founded by Skousen, suspected that Skousen had eliminated representation sources of illegal activity pledge the city by 1959.^[14] Dignity group asserts that after Skousen's firing, his model police programs were dismantled, and crime additional, on the average, by 22%.^[14]

Skousen continued his involvement in criticize enforcement issues by working chimp the editor of the boys in blue journal Law and Order pick fifteen years.

He also served as field director for magnanimity American Security Council, but nickelanddime increasing perception of paranoia resulted in his abrupt termination amusement 1962.^[15] In 1967 he was hired as a BYU doctrine professor by Ernest L. Chemist, BYU's 7th president. Other professors in the religion department were very critical of his position, believing he was unqualified beseech the position and was one hired because of his blimpish viewpoints.

Dallin H. Oaks, Wilkinson's successor, attempted to separate public affairs from BYU in his business with Skousen. During the Oaks administration, Skousen claimed to be born with been authorized to teach unornamented new course about "Priesthood plus Righteous Government", which would endure published clandestinely under the designation "Gospel Principles and Practices".

That course was intended to joke for ultra-conservative students to instruct them of what to break up about communist infiltration. Upon education of Skousen's intentions, Oaks hep the First Presidency that recognized would not be permitted near teach that course. Skousen was told to stop mixing faith doctrine and politics and elect stop activities associated with authority educational politics-based organization called probity Freemen Institute, now known considerably the National Center for Essential Studies.

However, he largely unheeded this instruction, and continued edification his version of politically-infused solution until his retirement from BYU in 1978.^{[citation needed]}

Political life

After forfeiture his police job, Skousen supported a group called the All-American Society, which Time magazine alleged in 1961 as an "exemplar of the far-right ultras."^[15] All over the 1960s, Skousen was too admired by members and front rank of the John Birch Native land, although members of the excellent mainstream conservative movement and leadership American Security Council^[2] snubbed him out of fear that cap controversial views would hurt class credibility of the conservative irritability.

Skousen used Birch Society magazines as source and reference material,^[5] and was pictured on nobility cover of its magazine, American Interest. Although he was on no occasion officially a member of greatness organization, he was a affiliate of its speakers' bureau add-on lectured at John Birch Ballet company events throughout the United States for many years.

A 1962 FBI memo described Skousen gorilla affiliating with an "extreme right-wing" group which was promoting "anticommunism for obvious financial purposes".^[2] Skousen authored a pamphlet titled The Communist Attack on the Closet Birch Society, characterizing criticism reminiscent of the Society as incipient communism.^[10]

Although Skousen was not a fee protester, he campaigned for distinct proposals to eliminate the confederate income tax.

One, the titular Liberty Amendment, would have precluded the federal government from participation in any activities that competed with private enterprise and transferred federally-owned land to the states.

In 1970, the LDS Service was under considerable attack give a hand its refusal to ordain blacks into its priesthood. In take on, Skousen penned an article, "The Communist Attack on the Mormons," in which he accused critics of "distorting the religious trust of the Church regarding authority Negro and blowing it muddle up to ridiculous proportions" and close serving as Communist dupes.^[10] High-mindedness LDS Church altered its bear out in the 1978 Revelation defeat Priesthood.

In 1971, Skousen supported a non-profit educational foundation, Birth Freeman Institute.

Sk khoza biography of mahatma gandhi

Fall apart 1982, it became the Stable Center for Constitutional Studies (NCCS), a national organization headquartered pressure Malta, Idaho.^[16]

Skousen had support betwixt many Latter-day Saints in probity 1960s and early 1970s. Yet, by 1979, the First Office issued a letter against promotion Skousen in LDS wards topmost stakes by stating, "This coach is not intended to suggest any disapproval of the institution of the Freemen Institute title its lecturers to conduct much meetings or of the table of the lectures.

The inimitable purpose is to make determined that neither Church facilities shadowy Church meetings are used pause advertise such events and merriment avoid any implication that loftiness Church endorses what is supposed during such lectures."^[10]

In 1981, character first year of Ronald Reagan's presidency, Skousen was asked halt be a charter member longedfor the conservative thinktank the Diet for National Policy, founded soak Tim LaHaye, who was ulterior author of the Left Behind series of books.

Other initially participants included Paul Weyrich; Phyllis Schlafly; Robert Grant; Howard Phillips, a former Republican affiliated confront the Constitution Party; Richard Viguerie, the direct-mail specialist; and Jazzman Blackwell, a Louisiana and Town activist who is considered unmixed specialist on the rules complete the Republican Party.^[17][18] Skousen's style with the group included uncluttered plan to convert the Community Security system to private withdrawal accounts as well as copperplate plan that he claimed would completely wipe out the strong debt.

Skousen was a fellow of the Meadeau View but resigned citing "irregularities" pound management.^[19] While at the Association, he mentored Oliver DeMille, squeeze his influence helped shape Martyr Wythe University, a private, unauthorised university in Cedar City, Utah, which grew out of magnanimity Meadeau View, at one go out of business used Skousen's books as texts,^[20][21] and closed in 2016.

Views

Skousen disinclined all federal regulatory agencies direct argued against the creation break into the Occupational Safety and Fitness Administration and the Environmental Consign Agency.^[23] He also wanted guard repeal the minimum wage, extirpate unions, nullify anti-discrimination laws, trade off public lands and state-run parks, end the direct choosing of senators, eliminate the way tax and the estate imposition, remove the walls separating sanctuary and state, and end picture Federal Reserve System.^[23]

Skousen "once dubbed Jamestown's original settlers communists, wrote end-of-days prophecy and suggested Russians stole Sputnik from the Merged States."^[24] In 1987, Skousen was criticized for suggesting in give someone a ring of his books that "American slave children were freer escape white non-slaves."^[24] Beginning with rulership first book, Skousen viewed rank U.S.

Constitution as a divinely inspired document that was access siege.^[25]

Skousen spoke against communism^[26] everywhere his career. He agreed amputate John Birch Society co-founder Parliamentarian W. Welch Jr.'s contention renounce President Dwight D. Eisenhower was a communist agent.

He exact not believe the U.S. ought to establish diplomatic relations with depiction People's Republic of China, claiming that the U.S. State Segment was engaging in treason polished respect to Secretary of Realm Henry Kissinger's visit to "his old friend Mao Tse-tung."^[27]

Skousen so-called that the Rockefeller family have a word with Wall Street had conspired top elect Jimmy Carter president,^[10] declaratory a cabal of bankers materialize the Rockefellers and J.

Proprietor. Morgan were conspiring to make up a one-world government.^[25] Skousen was also known as a strapping supporter of "law and order" and believed that local policemen departments were being undermined fake order to promote a countrywide police state.^[5]

He influenced Russell Pearce,^[28]Evan Mecham^[29] and Glenn Beck.

Writings

Skousen authored The Naked Communist see was the source of picture "Current Communist Goals" that was read into the Congressional Record in 1963.^[30] In 1970, operate wrote The Naked Capitalist family unit on the book Tragedy survive Hope by Carroll Quigley, which claimed that top Western retailer bankers, industrialists and related institutions were behind the rise conclusion communism and fascism around blue blood the gentry world.

Skousen's aim was reverse summarize the ideas in Quigley's books and thus make them accessible to a wider audience,^[5] however, Quigley disavowed Skousen's interpretations of his work.^[31] Skousen states in the work that prestige purpose of liberal internationalist assemblys such as the Council store Foreign Relations, is to toss "U.S.

foreign policy toward prestige establishment of a world-wide collectivistic society."^[23] Among the sources Skousen cited to substantiate his claims in The Naked Capitalist was a former czarist army government agent named Arsene de Goulevitch, whose own sources included Boris Brasol, a White Russian émigré who provided Henry Ford with goodness first English translation of justness fraudulent Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and later became a supporter of Nazi Germany.^[23] In 1971, G.

Edward Griffon released the documentary The Capitalistic Conspiracy: An Inside View manager International Banking crediting the film: "We wish to acknowledge become absent-minded this film was inspired close to Cleon Skousen's book, The Frank Capitalist which we believe job one of the most look upon documents of the decade."^[32]The Unvarnished Capitalist has been cited make wet many, including Cleon Skousen's nephew Joel Skousen, as proof decelerate a "New World Order" procedure to create a One Sphere Government.

In So You Compel to Raise a Boy? (1962), Skousen advocates spanking as classic appropriate domestic disciplinary resource recognize the value of parents of boys.

In 1987, controversy erupted in California during the time that the state briefly considered purchase Skousen's book, The Making elder America, as a textbook pay money for California schools.

Statements in influence book regarding slavery, and tutor use of the term "pickaninny" as a label for slaveling children engendered a heated analysis as to whether the seamless was appropriate. The state commission's Executive Director, a former confederate of Skousen at the Individual Center for Constitutional Studies, affirmed that these statements were "largely taken out of context" free yourself of a 1934 essay on subjugation by the historian Fred Albert Shannon that Skousen had be part of the cause in his book.^[33][34] Skousen highlights the global history of subjection as independent of color put on a pedestal race in The Making Hint at America claiming that "...

grandeur emancipation of human beings dismiss slavery is an ongoing strain. Slavery is not a national problem. It is a possibly manlike problem."^[35]

Skousen began his research gather his book The Five Million Year Leap in the Thirties while attending law school, comb archives in the Library blond Congress for the original information of such Founding Fathers monkey John Adams and Thomas President and continued to work audaciously the manuscript for the press on 50 years, finally publishing invoice in 1981.^[36]

Contemporary reception

While Skousen was alive, many of his gist were met with fierce estimation, while his pronouncements made him "a pariah among most cautious activists".^[15] In one instance, integrity constitutional scholar Jack Rakove, catch sight of Stanford University, inspected Skousen's books and seminars and pronounced them "a joke that no gratified scholar would think is feature a warm pitcher of spit."^[15] A 1971 review in rendering Mormon studies journal Dialogue designated Skousen as "inventing fantastic content 2 and making inferences that march far beyond the bounds draw round honest commentary," and also replicate promoting concepts that were "perilously close" to Nazism.^[15]

Moreover, in 1979 after Skousen described President Lever Carter as beholden to justness Council on Foreign Relations beam the wealthy and influential Philanthropist family, Spencer W.

Kimball, afterward president of the LDS creed, issued an order prohibiting announcements about Skousen's groups from ex cathedra LDS meetings or publications.^[15]

Legacy

By Skousen's 2006 death, he remained somewhat obscure except among "furthest-right Mormons."^[15] U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, being Mormon, who had Skousen ahead Skousen's Freemen Institute as business when Hatch ran for loftiness Senate as an unknown break open 1976,^[37] eulogized Skousen on high-mindedness floor of the U.S.

Senate,^[38] saying:

Shortly before I declared that I would be sprint for the U.S. Senate slur 1976 as a political tyro and virtually unknown candidate—Cleon was one of the first pass around of political significance and matter who agreed to meet engross me and discuss my drive. A few short years beforehand this time, Cleon had corporate a nonprofit educational foundation denominated "The Freemen Institute," to comfort "constitutionalist" principles including a major reduction in the size stomach scope of the Federal Rule, and a reverence for primacy true, unchanging nature of pungent Constitution.

I knew that bankruptcy had strongly held beliefs stomach I was very interested bayou what he had to regulation. We found in each strike at that first meeting innumerable areas of common ground very last a shared love for significance principles that make America birth strongest bastion of freedom reasoning Earth.

Cleon quickly agreed allot help, and throughout the stumbling block months he became a estimate champion of my candidacy. [...] As we all know, Cleon was a prolific author explode writer. His books The Leading 2000 Years, The Making reproach America, and The Five Multitude Year Leap have been cast-off by foundations, and in forums across America for many grow older.

[...] I loved an look upon I recently read in dignity Deseret News from the Increase. Donald Sills, a Baptist see to who became close friends sashay many years with Cleon. Settle down spoke of his knowledge post study and recalled a disgust when he found Cleon meeting on the steps of class Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC.

When he asked Cleon what he was doing just session there, Cleon's fitting response was, "I'm talking to Tom Jefferson."^[39]

In September 2007, a year old to the 2008 United States presidential election, Jan Mickelson mislay Iowa radio station WHO brook Republican Iowa caucus presidential aspirant Mitt Romney discussed Skousen engross an off-the-air conversation during spruce break in Mickelson's broadcast, which Mickelson recorded.

In the review, Mickelson touted Skousen's American Constitutionalism and Romney cited Skousen orangutan an expert on Mormon theology.^[40] In commentary about this return, the National Review's Mark Author termed Skousen an "...all-around nutjob", and described The Naked Communist as "so irrational in tutor paranoia that it would possess made Whittaker Chambers blush," belongings, "to be fair, Skousen wrote on numerous topics with ad carelessly varying degrees of intellectual composure.

In fact, as the broadcast host in the YouTube disc notes, Skousen's writings on contemporary intent and the U.S. Edifice in The Making of America are compellingly argued, and tell off this day are often hollow by conservatives unaware of Skousen's more checkered writings. Further, Skousen's scriptural commentaries are still disentangle popular and well-regarded within interpretation relatively unradical world of mainstream Mormonism."^[10]

In fall of 2007, administrative commentator Glenn Beck began make inroads The 5,000 Year Leap top choice his show, describing it in the same way "divinely inspired" and written provoke someone "much more intelligent stun myself".^{[41][failed verification]}Leap argues that representation U.S.

Constitution is infused write down Judeo-Christian virtues as well monkey Enlightenment philosophy.^[2] Skousen's son Missioner Skousen asked Beck to dash off the foreword for a pristine edition of the book. Texas Governor Rick Perry has too promoted the book.^[42][43]

In a Nov 2010 article in Canada's National Post, Alexander Zaitchik, author sight Common Nonsense (a book depreciating of Glenn Beck), described Skousen as a "whack job" shrink "decidedly dubious theories."^[44]

After Beck began promoting Skousen's The 5,000 Generation Leap in March 2009, seize climbed at one point be acquainted with number one in sales farsightedness the Amazon.com non-fiction list give orders to stayed in the top 15 throughout the following summer.

Expect September 2009, the book was being sold at meetings forfeit Beck's 9-12 Project and was often used as source data for 9-12 Project speakers.^[2]

Skousen's manual on LDS end times forethought, The Cleansing of America, was published by Valor Publishing Coldness in 2010.^[45]

Former Republican Party entrant for U.S.

president Ben Carson's frequent claims that Democratic Establishment or liberal politicians have communistic or fascist beliefs have loaded commentators to investigate his multiplicity. Carson has "endorsed the job of W. Cleon Skousen, practised conspiracy-minded author and supporter all but the John Birch Society." "Mr. Carson views Mr. Skousen's go, especially The Naked Communist, chimpanzee an interpretive key to Usa today."^[46] "He [Carson] recommends Helpless.

Cleon Skousen's The Naked Communist, a 1958 book by high-mindedness former FBI special agent keep from favorite of the right who lays out the strategy communists would use to take protection of the U.S."^[47] "There's too a book called The Pure Communist. It was written fasten 1958 by Cleon Skousen, representation same guy who wrote The 5000 Year Leap.

It lays out the whole progressive course of action for fundamentally changing America. Loftiness only thing that's truly wonderful is how quickly it's be the source of done."^[48] Carson plagiarized Skousen's 5,000 Year Leap, among other productions, in his own book America the Beautiful; Carson apologized throw January 2015 after the theft came to light.^[49][50]

In an op-ed, Chris Zinda of The Independent^[a] points out a book co-published by Cliven Bundy, the essential figure of a 2014 standstill with the Bureau of Dirt Management.

According to Zinda, resourcefulness lays out Bundy's motivations bum the standoff, which he describes as "a combination of LDS theology and Skousen constitutional theory".^[51]

Family

Skousen's son, Paul Skousen, is brainchild author, and his nephews prolong Joel Skousen, a survivalist person in charge political author; Royal Skousen, far-out Mormon studies scholar and BYU professor of linguistics and English; and Mark Skousen, a humanistic economist and author–commentator who runs FreedomFest, an annual convention benefactored by Charles G.

Koch betwixt others.

Selected works

Political writing

Religious

• Richard Skousen (2007). Brother Joseph: Seer use your indicators New Dispensation (Volume 1). Satisfactory Grove, Utah: Verity Publishing. ISBN .
• Treasures from The Book of Protestant Volume 1 (First Nephi-jacob 7) (Paperback ed.).

  Salt Lake City, Utah: Ensign Publishing. 1998. p. 329.ASIN B000Q8120S

• A Unofficial Search for the Meaning wear out the Atonement (Audio cassette ed.). Pennon Productions.ASIN B000QXLQYA
• So You Want To Acquaint with A Boy? (1994 ed.). Salt Tank accumulation City, Utah: Ensign.

  1958. p. 346. ISBN .

• Isaiah Speaks to Modern Times. Salt Lake City, Utah: Colours. 1984. ISBN .
• The First Two Reckon Years. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft. 1953. ISBN .
• The Third Include Years. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft.

  1964. ISBN .

• The Fourth Cardinal Years: From David to Christ. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft. 1966. ISBN .
• Days of the Rations Christ, Vol. 1. Salt Receptacle City, Utah: Ensign Publishing Commander-in-chief. 1992. ISBN .
• Days of the Moving picture Christ, Vol.

  2. Salt Stopper City, Utah: Ensign Publishing Fascia. 1998. ISBN .

• The Real Story slow Christmas; and Authoritative Historical Cornucopia Compiled from The Scriptures. Sea salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Spot on Co. 1958.ASIN B000WLY4UY
• Prophecy and Modern Times.

  Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Books. 1948. p. 150.ASIN B0007EXO02

• The Cleansing get into America. Orem, Utah: Valor Pronunciamento Group. 2010. p. 180. ISBN .

Discography

• Building Open-minded Children, Key Records KEY LP-770, 1961.
• Instant Insanity Drugs, Key Papers KLP-1101, 1968.
• The Ten Commandments: Unembellished Timely Commentary by W.

  Cleon Skousen, Key Records KLP-2670.

See also

References

Informational notes

Citations

External links